Computing devices, communication devices, imaging devices, electronic devices, accessories, or other types of peripheral devices designed to be worn or attached to a user (denoted as wearables or wearable devices) are becoming very popular. Wearables can be considered to be a form of mobile device. Mobile phones with headsets or earbud accessories, the Google® Glass™ wearable computer, wrist-worn devices, waist or ankle worn devices, and garments with embedded phones or music players are examples of such wearables or mobile devices.
The wearable's device market space is expected to substantially grow in the coming years. A good portion of these devices will be wearable's that are designed directly into or onto an article of clothing; because, the device will need to be connected to a series of sensors that are woven into the clothing itself. Knowing the body area on which a wearable is placed is valuable for many reasons. For example, an estimate of calories burned would be different for the same accelerometer readings from the ankle vs. the wrist. One approach to understanding place of attachment is through analysis of accelerometer readings; however, this requires a sufficient sample of movement. Depending on the exercise or the movement, the analysis may be misinterpreted. Sometimes a device may be used as a wearable and a non-wearable. It could be advantageous for a system to know when a device is being used as a wearable device or attached to a stationary holding mechanism. It is also desirable to have additional ways to allow a system to understand where a given device is attached to a body or to an object.